Omicron scare: Maharashtra records highest number of COVID cases of new variant

As the cases of Omicron variant is rising across the world, India has reported as many as 23 cases of new variant so far, according to the Union Health Ministry. The numbers have been rising since the country reported the first two cases in Karnataka on December 2. As of now, a total of four states and a Union territory have reported cases of the new variant that include Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat and Delhi. Among them, Maharashtra is on the top of the list with a total of 10 cases reported so far followed by Rajasthan (9) and Karnataka (2). Meanwhile, Gujarat and Delhi have reported one case each, as per the data by the Health Ministry. 

On Thursday, India witnessed an increase in daily COVID-19 cases for the second day in a row. According to the Union Health Ministry, 9,419 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours, while active cases increased to 94,742, bringing the total number of those infected to 3,46,66,241. The death toll rose to 4,74,111 with 159 new fatalities. Meanwhile, for the past 13 days, the daily increase in new Coronavirus infections has been less than 10,000. 

Parliamentary Committee recommends evaluation of vaccines' efficacy

Amid mounting concern over the spread of the Omicron variant, a parliamentary committee, last week, recommended that the efficacy of COVID vaccines be assessed, and the government undertake further studies to examine the necessity for booster doses. Concerns regarding the new strain's growing immunoescape mechanism should also be addressed urgently, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health stated in its report which was presented on Friday, December 3. The committee noted that the Health Ministry's measures to contain the spread of SARS-COV-2 proved to be woefully inadequate during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, PTI reported. 

It should be mentioned here that the new variant has been categorised as the "Variant of Concern" by the World Health Organization. It has also alarmed scientists and the health community because of its complicated genetic sequence. Besides, it is also the most potent type of the SARS-CoV-2 variation found to date. The variant's protein spike has more than 50 mutations, including more than 30 on the spike protein, making it far more transmissible than the Delta version.

With PTI inputs

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